Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Welcome to the second post of Tuesdays with Dorie! For those of you who didn't catch it last time, two Tuesdays per month I will be updating with 300+ bloggers on this site (in case you'd like to follow the progress and see the posts or join in, too!)

This weeks' post comes from Baking with Julia's Chocolate Truffle Tartlets recipe! With company in town, I was glad to have a dessert on hand but was a little concerned about the chocolate dough. I made two poor choices and they still came out just fine. Amazing! First, I was afraid of my little thrifted tart pans - last time I made something in them, the substance tasted like metal, and that is obviously less than desirable. So, I made two of them in the pans for a pretty picture of course (and they tasted fine, thank goodness) but the rest I made in a muffin tin. Even though I practically had to press the crumbly dough into the muffin tins, they still turned out just fine when cooled. Although this dough may be tricky to work with, you apparently can't mess it up too much, which is comforting with such a delicate substance!

These are super tasty and definitely cute but I have to be honest, for the trouble, I might just stick with a decadent brownie. Perhaps that is my lack of class talking, but glad I tried these nonetheless - I'd do it again for a special occasion! And I definitely recommend giving them a try to expand your pastry skills. Needless to say, I'd probably be the worst pastry chef in America. But I'll work on that another day!

Line a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper and keep at hand. Remove the bottoms from six 4 ½-inch fluted tartlet pans (or use pans with permanent bottoms and just plan to pop the tartlet out once they’re filled, baked, and cooled); spray the pans with vegetable oil or brush with melted butter.

Cut the dough into 6 even pieces. Working with one piece at a time, shape the dough into a rough circle, then tamp it down with a rolling pin. Flour the work surface and the top of the dough and roll it into a circle about 1/8 to ¼- inch thick. As you roll, lift the dough with the help of a dough scraper to keep it from sticking. If the dough breaks (as it sometimes does), press it back together and keep going-it will be fine once it’s baked. Fit the dough into a tartlet ring, pressing it into the fluted edges and cutting the top level with the edges of the pan. Again, patch as you go. Use a pastry brush to dust off any excess flour and place the lined tartlet ring on the prepared baking pan.

Chilling the Crusts: When all of the shells are rolled out, chill them for at least 20 minutes.

Baking the Crusts: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Prick the bottoms of the crusts all over with the tines of a fork and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the crusts are dry, blistery, and firm. Transfer the baking pan to a rack so that the crusts can cool while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

Making the Filling: Bring an inch of water to the simmer in a saucepan. Put the butter and bittersweet chocolate in a large metal bowl and place the bowl over the saucepan-don’t let the metal bowl touch the water. Allow the chocolate and butter to melt slowly, stirring from time to time, as you work on the rest of the filling. Remove the chocolate from the heat when it is melted and allow it to cool until it is just slightly warmer than room temperature.

Put the yolks and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl. Using the whisk or a hand-held mixer, start beating the yolks at medium speed and them, when they are broken up, reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the yolks and sugar until the yolks thicken and form a slowly dissolving ribbon when the beater is lifted.

Spoon about one third of the yolks onto the cooled chocolate mixture and fold them in with a rubber spatula. Don’t worry about being too thorough. Pour the chocolate into the beaten yolks and gently fold the two mixtures together until they are almost completely blended. Add the cubed chocolates and biscotti, folding to incorporate the chunky pieces.

Baking the Tartlets: Using an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measure, divide the filling evenly among the cooled shells. Smooth the filling with a small offset spatula, working it into the nooks and crannies as you circle the tops of the tarts. Bake the tarts for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops look dry and the filling is just set. Remove to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Storing: Best the day they’re made, these are still terrific after they’ve been refrigerated—they lose their textual finesse, but the taste is still very much there. For longer keeping, wrap the tartlets airtight and freeze them for up to a month. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.

About Me

Coming to you from her cozy NYC kitchen, Anna Luce is a happily married classical and baroque violinist, and mother to Zoe the Yorkie! Join her as she figures out what a healthy lifestyle is while balancing ulcerative colitis with her desire for traditional cooking and baking. Follow her on twitter @keepitluce or send her an email at arpluce@gmail.com!
*The views and advice contained within this blog are from personal experience and not to be considered certified medical instruction. Consult your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns before making changes to your lifestyle.